Christmas tree stand



Sept. 15, 1953 A. J. SCHULZ 2,652,217 CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed May 21, 1948 INVENTOR. 44;25'0 J SCH 4/4 2 Patented Sept. 15, 1953 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application May 21, 1948, Serial No. 28,503

(01. z4s 4s) 2 Claims.

section on the As made, the bowl 1 is desirably provided with a relatively broad rim at IU having a downwardly inclined marginal flange l l The precise form is not essential, but it involving a corresponding change in leg design. At M the rim flange is desirably, though not necessarily, embossed to provide leg locating channels at equal angular spacing about the bowl periphery.

Each is provided at its lower end with a foot at l6 which is preferably substantially horizontal and is desirably embossed to provide a floor-contacting ball IT.

From the foot l6 each leg curves upwardly to a knee portion l8 where the vertical form of the leg changes from concave to convex. From the knee portion I8, the leg extends upwardly at I! in another concave arc, its upper extremity 20 having a tapped aperture to receive the set screw 2! which engages the trunk of a tree supported by the stand. The retaining ring 22 has an overhanging flange at 23 beneath which the upper end 20 of the leg is engaged and firmly retained by thereaction pressure developed by the thrust of the set screw 2| upon the tree trunk. The set screw extends through an aperture at 24 in the retaining ring which positions the leg against substantial lateral displacement engagement with flange 23.

The embossed ribs 25, 26, whichdesirably reenforce the leg, are preferably limited to the concavely arcuate portion thereof at each side of the knee I8. At the knee a hook-shaped tongue 27 is punched from the material of the leg and offset therefrom to be engaged beneath the margin of flange ll of the bowl. If the rim is channeled as indicated at M in Figs. 2 and 5, the sides of the channel will confine the tongue tact with the rim I0 as shown at 28 in Fig. l.

A stand as herein described is readily shipped disassembled and is very easily erected.

To erect the stand, it is only necessary to hook the tongues 21 of the respective legs successively beneath the margin of the rim flange ll of the bowl (in channels [4, if the rim is channeled). As each such leg is engaged with the bowl, it is pivoted to the upright position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 where the portion of the leg above the hook engages the rim of the bowl, as at 28. The top end of the leg is then connected with the ring 22 by the simple expedient of inserting the of the leg into the aperture 24 of the ring.

When interlocking connection is thus effected, the resulting structure is very rigid. The greater the weight imposed thereon, within its capacity, the more securely will the parts interlock with each other. Thus, the weight of a Christmas tree will be imposed in part upon the bowl and in part upon the ring through the respective set screws. The weight imposed upon the bowl is delivered to the hook-shaped tongues 21 of the legs and since these are located inwardly from will tend to rock each leg inwardly about a fulcrum at its ball l1.

will simply force the leg more tightly in engagement with the rim of the bowl at 28 to resist any such pivotal movement.

Any load imposed on the upper end of the legs through the ring 22 will have a converse action tending to pivot each leg upon'the rim at 28 and to thrust each hook 21 outwardly against the rim flange H, thus firmly interlocking the parts and precluding pivotal movement.

Disassembly of the parts is equally simple, requiring no manipulation other than the mere removal of the set screws and the disengagement of the ends 20 of the respective legs from beneath the overhanging flange of ring each leg may be pivoted outwardly respecting the rim when positioned for complete release, the engagement being merely a hooked engagement.

It is important to the invention that the interlock between the legs of the bowl isnot only achieved in simple and inexpensive manner, and is not only very secure mechanically, but is effected without slotting or in any manner perforating' the bowl itself. The water-retaining characteristics of the bowl remain unimpaired,

The several prongs of the device 8 for positioning the butt of the tree in the bowl provide a very effective means for that purpose, being adapted to engage butts of different contours more eifectively than any single prong could do. The device is easily fabricated and is desirably held to the bowl by a single spot weld or the'like.

I claim:

1. In a Christmas tree stand of the type having interlocking legs, ring and bowl, the bowl having a rim of materially larger diameter than the ring and the legs extending divergently from the ring to the bowl and provided with feet at a considerably greater radius than the rim of the bowl, the combination with a bowl having a rim provided with a peripherally continuous flange with a downwardly inclined part, of a leg extending in an outward and downward direction across said rim and flange and having an upwardly inclined hook beneath the leg engaged beneath the downwardly inclined part of the rim flange, said 22 whereby leg having a rib constituting a fulcrum portion in thrust engagement with the bowl rim at a radius less than that of the flange, said rib being discontinuous between said hook and said fulcrum.

2. In a Christmas tree stand .of the type comprising interlocked ring, legs, andbowhthe combination with a bowl having a substantially horizontal and generally circular rim, of a leg having a foot and extending obliquely across said rim and provided at its upper end with ring anchoring means, said leg having concave portions above and below said rim and having an intermediate convex knee portion proximate the rim, said concave portions being provided with medial ribs downwardly offset from the leg portions proper, the leg portion below the knee being provided with a tongue engageable with the rim and the rib of the concave portion of the leg above the knee comprising a seat in thrust bearing engagement with the rim at a point inwardly spaced from the tongue, the ribs being discontinuous through said knee portion and the knee portion being provided with marginal flanges engaging the rim.

ALFRED J. SCHULZ.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 100,808 Wolf Aug. 11, 1936 1,110,142 Piner Sept. 8, 1914 1,524,061 Tennant et a1. Jan. 27,1925 1,673,721 Turner June 12, 1928 1,943,269 Holden Jan. 9, 1934 2,028,129 Allerton Jan. 21, 1936 2,075,309 Smith Mar. 30, 1937 2,221,205 Schulz et a1. Nov. 12, 1940 2,437,494 Anderson Mar. 9, 1948 2,522,156 Balmer Sept. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 67,936 Austria Feb; 10, 1915 

